Tips & Advice

BASIC GUIDE TO PAINTING

Preparation is crucial to the success of any painting job so make sure you spend a bit of time before you start making sure everything is in order!

Before painting, ensure your walls and ceilings are clean, dust-free and completely dry. Wash them down with sugar soap before rinsing with water and then let them dry out. Make sure you get into the nooks and crannies as there is always plenty of dust lurking in there.

Also, make sure you have put down enough protective sheeting to ensure you do not get any unsightly spillages on your floor. It will also be wise to have a wet cloth handy so you can swiftly remove any rogue paint! In addition, have tools, such as a scraper or sandpaper, to hand in case you missed anything when you were preparing the walls.

Before applying the paint, make sure you have distributed it into a suitable tray, which allows you to dip your brush or roller in without hindrance.

Begin with the ceiling and then move onto the walls, starting from the top to bottom. If you were to go from bottom to top, splashes would likely land on the surface you have already painted and that has started to dry. Definitely not ideal!

One coat is not always enough so it is recommended that you have a cup of tea, or ten, while you wait for it to dry to see if it needs another coat. You will know that it needs another coat if it looks patchy and you can still see the previous coat underneath. Most importantly, make sure you enjoy it - pop the radio on and add a little fun to decorating!